Why You Can Trust CNET Get WonderFox DVD Ripper 2.5 (Win) for free
Normally $40, this utility can convert your DVD movies and TV shows to just about any format you want: iPhone, Apple TV, Android, BlackBerry, and so on.
Let's continue Unofficial Free-Stuff Week here at the Cheapskate, shall we? (Freebie Tuesday was a big hit, and I hope some of you were able to nab the free iPhone games I posted on Monday.)
From now until July 3, you can get WonderFox DVD Ripper free of charge, no strings attached. Regular price: $39.95.
Just enter your name and e-mail address, then click Send Email. Developer WonderFox Soft promises you'll receive your registration code within 24 hours. (If yours doesn't arrive, be sure to check your spam filter.)
To clarify: when you initially download the program, it will be unregistered--a trial version, in essence. When you paste in the registration code you get via e-mail, that will make it the full, free program.
So, why do you need a DVD ripper? To turn those silver platters of yours into digital files you can watch on other devices.
WonderFox, for example, can convert your "Party Down" discs to a format compatible with iPhone, iPod, or iPad; Xbox, Wii, or PS3; Android and BlackBerry phones; Apple TV; and so on. Indeed, it supports virtually every output format known to man.
(By the way: "Party Down"? Best show you never watched and probably never heard of. As it happens, it's available for streaming on Netflix. Highly recommended.)
If you're a laptop or Netbook user, you can rip your movies to a Windows Media or AVI format, then watch them without the need for a battery-draining DVD drive.
Bottom line: it's a $40 program available for $0. What's not to like?
Bonus deal: I'm not a big fan of earbuds, which tend to make my ears sore after about 20 minutes. Indeed, sometimes you just want some old-school outside-the-ear 'phones. Amazon has the Jabra Halo Bluetooth Stereo Headset for $35.99 shipped. These comfy, folding headphones also let you make and take phone calls. I own a pair, and they sound superb. Update: Looks like the sale is over; the Halo is now listed at $64.99.